Hari Babu Kambhampati Sworn In As 27th Governor Of Odisha; Know His Journey From Academia To Politics

Bhubaneswar: Hari Babu Kambhampati took oath as the 27th Governor of Odisha at Raj Bhawan here on Friday

He was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh in presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik, State Ministers, MLAs, MPs, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, DGP Y B Khurania, and other dignitaries.

The Governor was then accorded a guard of honour.

“Sworn in as the Governor of Odisha, a land of timeless culture, vibrant history, and unyielding spirit. Committed to serving its incredible people and fostering progress, harmony, and growth. Together, let us strive to build a brighter future,” Kambhampati wrote on the social media platform X shortly after the swearing-in event.

The former Governor of Mizoram was appointed the Governor of Odisha on December 24 after Raghubar Das resigned from the post.

Kambhampati and his family arrived in the city on Thursday. He was accorded a guard of honour at Raj Bhawan. “Landed in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, where I was warmly received by the Hon’ble Chief Minister and officials. A Guard of Honour was presented before proceeding to Puri for the sacred darshan of Lord Jagannath,” the 71-year-old posted on X.

He along with his family offered prayers at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple administration presented him with Khandua, the flag, and other relics of the sibling deities.

More about the new Governor of Odisha

Born in 1953 in Andhra Pradesh’s Prakasam district, Kambhampati has a long career in politics. His political journey began during his university days, where he played an active role in the Jai Andhra Movement in 1972. He was also imprisoned for six months during the Emergency period in the mid-1970s.

An academic by profession, Kambhampati holds a BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering and a PhD from Andhra University. He dedicated 24 years to academia as an associate professor in Andhra University’s Engineering College where he immensely contributed to the academic development of students.

His association with politics resumed in 1977 when he joined the Janata Dal. By 1978, he was serving as the vice-president of its youth wing in Andhra Pradesh. Later, he became the general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Andhra Pradesh, a position he held for a decade from 1993. In 1999, he was elected an MLA from Visakhapatnam-1 constituency.

He was entrusted with the role of national secretary for BJP in 2005 and served as the president of the Andhra Pradesh BJP between 2014 and 2018. As a Member of Parliament from 2014 to 2019, Kambhampati contributed significantly to various parliamentary committees.